Shannen Doherty, ‘Beverly Hills 90210’ and ‘Charmed’ Star, Dies at 53

Shannen Doherty, known for her roles on the wildly popular series “Beverly Hills, 90210” and on the witchcraft fantasy “Charmed,” has died after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. She was 53.

“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress, Shannen Doherty,” Doherty’s publicist Leslie Sloane said in a statement. “On Saturday, July 13, she lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease. The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie. The family asks for their privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace.”

Doherty rose to fame in 1990 as the fresh-faced brunette Brenda Walsh on Fox’s “Beverly Hills, 90210.” Along with her twin brother Brandon, played by Jason Priestly, the Walshes were the classic fish-out-of-water family that had recently moved from Minnesota to Beverly Hills and were constantly amazed at the antics of the L.A. rich kids.

The romance between Brenda and Dylan, played by Luke Perry, spawned controversy in the first season for the storyline where Brenda considers losing her virginity. Their later breakup, when Dylan hooked up with her best friend Kelly, played by Jennie Garth, was also big news, and the show was considered groundbreaking in its willingness to address topics like drug abuse and racism.

The show was a massive hit, and with its success came an inordinate amount of scrutiny and gossip surrounding the cast, including teen-aged Doherty. Though the show had started out with Garth’s Kelly as the less likable character, the perception soon changed and Brenda become the cast member everyone loved to hate on. She was labeled a diva in the press and there was even a pre-internet newsletter called “I Hate Brenda.” Doherty appeared in 111 episodes before leaving the series at the end of season four, amid reports of friction with other cast members, particularly Garth.

Jason Priestley, left, Shannen Doherty, Jennie Garth and Ian Ziering on “Beverly Hills 90210.”

By the time the show was rebooted two more times, everyone had mellowed with age and Doherty returned as Brenda in the 2008 revival “90210” for one season and in the later revival 2019 “BH90210.”

After her stormy departure from “Beverly Hills, 90210,” Doherty found her footing on “Charmed,” the supernatural drama following three sisters who discover they are witches and must work together to fight evil. She played the oldest of the three sisters, Prue Halliwell, alongside Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs. In 2000 and 2001, she directed three episodes of the series — “Be Careful What You Witch For,” “The Good, The Bad, and The Cursed,” and “All Hell Breaks Loose,” the last episode she appeared in. Her character was killed off when she left the series at the end of the third season.

Born in Memphis, Tenn., Doherty moved to Los Angeles with her family as a child and got her start at age 10 with a role on the series “Father Murphy.” Michael Landon saw her in the series and cast her as Jenny Wilder in “Little House on the Prairie” at age 11.

Doherty then had a recurring role on the family series “Our House” with Wilfred Brimley,

In feature films, she appeared in another teen classic, “Heathers,” as well as in “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and Kevin Smith’s “Mallrats” and “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.”

Among the other shows she appeared on were “North Shore,” and “Riverdale” as well as in a number of TV movies.

Shannen Doherty starred in “Beverly Hills 90201.”©Aaron Spelling Prods/Courtesy

In 2006, she produced a reality show, “Breaking Up With Shannen Doherty,” where she helped people in relationship peril who wanted to get out but couldn’t do it on their own, and later appeared in another reality show, “Off the Map With Shannen and Holly.”

Doherty was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2015, and in 2017 said she was in remission. But by 2019 the cancer had returned and spread. She continued working, with roles in TV movies including “Dying to Belong” and “List of a Lifetime.” Doherty also hosted a popular podcast, “Let’s Be Clear With Shannen Doherty,” in which she discussed her career and talked frankly about how breast cancer had impacted her life.

In June 2023, she said she had been receiving radiation for cancer that had spread to her brain.

She was briefly married to George Hamilton’s son Ashley Hamilton and poker player Rick Salomon, and in 2011 she married photographer Kurt Iswarienko. They filed for divorce in 2023.

Rescuers Noticed Cries Coming From A Cardboard Box And Couldn’t Believe What They Found In It

Rescuers Noticed Cries Coming From A Cardboard Box And Couldn’t Believe What They Found In It

Our pups are our precious family members and we can’t imagine our life without them. They are our true friends and the time we spend with them is the best part of our day.

They deserve all the love in this world and we do our best to make them happy.

Sadly, there are some heartless dog owners who don’t feel the same way about their canines. They cruelly abandon them and leave them on the streets.

Indigo was one of the puppies who was rejected by her owners. She was just a few days old when was separated from the loving arms of her mom.

Her cruel owners placed her in a cardboard box and dumped her on the streets at night. The adorable fur baby kept crying, wishing to be with her mom. She was frightened and she missed her mom’s sweet cuddles.

Saving A Precious Life

adorable black puppy

Source: RoyalPet

The next morning, a Good Samaritan found the little fur baby. When she heard her crying, the woman felt brokenhearted. The newborn puppy needed her mom more than ever.

The woman contacted the local shelter, and the rescuers came to save the puppy. She was placed in a foster home.  

The baby felt exhausted and weak after spending the whole night on her own. Her foster mom took great care of the pooch and she bottle-fed her.

Soon, she noticed that something was wrong with the pup’s eyes. The baby seemed to have cataracts.

Her foster mom was saddened after she realized that eye disease was the reason why her owners separated her from her mom.

It was extremely difficult to console the little puppy. All she wanted was to be with her mom.

cute black newborn puppy

Source: RoyalPet

The fur baby’s caregiver became worried when she saw that the puppy had diarrhea. She consulted with the doctor and they prescribed her the medicine she needed. After taking the medicine, the puppy felt better and she fell asleep.

The pup’s foster mom had her own dog, Stefani, and he watched over the puppy, too. He sat next to the newborn, making sure the cats wouldn’t wake her up. Seeing her dog look after the little baby warmed the woman’s heart.

mother dog and its black puppy

Source: RoyalPet

She wrapped the baby in a blanket and kept her warm. She breathed a sigh of relief after she noticed that the puppy’s diarrhea had stopped.

While the pup’s foster mom tenderly stroked the delightful pup, she felt at peace.

Stefani continued keeping an eye on the little baby, especially while the pup was sleeping. He wanted to make sure she wouldn’t fall down.

The Puppy Continues Thriving

black puppy in box

Source: RoyalPet

The woman named the baby Indigo, and she gave her toys to play with. The delightful canine enjoyed playing with her toys and rolling in her bed.

As time passed, Indigo continued thriving and growing. When she was twenty days old, she was able to eat on her own.

Indigo’s foster mom was concerned because the puppy couldn’t see clearly. She wasn’t sure if Indigo’s eyes would heal.

She took the pooch to see a specialist who told her that surgery wouldn’t help Indigo. The puppy was prescribed medicine.

woman playing with puppy

Source: RoyalPet

Indigo’s foster mom brought Indigo home, and made sure she took her medicine on time. She continued taking excellent care of the pup and doting on her.

When she noticed that Indigo was able to see more clearly, Indigo’s foster mom realized that the medicine had worked. She was over the moon.

Indigo felt safe and happy, soaking up all the love her foster mom gave her. She blossomed into a beautiful dog.

We are grateful to the Good Samaritan who found her and to her foster mom for showering her with the love and care that she deserved.

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